marie antoinette and her son-第86章

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out　of　whose　tip　her　white　silk　stocking　peeped。　〃See；〃　she　said；　to
Princess　Lamballe；　who　was　walking　by　her　side；　〃see　my　foot；　it
would　hardly　be　believed　that　the　Queen　of　France　has　no　shoes。〃




CHAPTER　XX。

TO　THE　21ST　0F　JANUARY。


〃We　must　look　misfortune　directly　in　the　eye；　and　have　courage　to
bear　it　worthily；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette。〃　〃We　are　prisoners；　and
shall　long　remain　so！　Let　us　seek　to　have　a　kind　of　household　life
even　in　our　prison。　Let　us　make　a　fixed　plan　how　to　spend　our　days。〃

〃You　are　right；　Marie；〃　replied　Louis；　〃let　us　arrange　how　to　spend
each　day。　As　I　am　no　longer　a　king；　I　will　be　the　teacher　of　my　son；
and　try　to　educate　him　to　be　a　good　king。〃

〃Do　you　believe；　then；　husband；　that　there　are　to　be　kings　after
this　in　France？〃　asked　Marie　Antoinette；　with　a　shrug。

〃Well；〃　answered　Louis；　〃we　will　at　least　seek　to　give　him　such　an
education　that　he　shall　be　able　to　fill　worthily　whatever　station　he
may　be　called　to。　I　will　be　his　teacher　in　the　sciences。〃

〃And　I　will　interest　him　and　our　daughter　in　music　and　drawing；〃
said　the　queen。

〃And　you　will　allow　me　to　teach　my　niece　to　embroider　an　altar…
cover；〃　said　Madame　Elizabeth。

〃And　in　the　evening；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　nodding　playfully　to
Princess　Lamballe；　〃in　the　evening　we　will　read　comedies；　that　the
children　may　learn　of　our　Lamballe　the　art　of　declamation。　We　will
seek　to　forget　the　past；　and　turn　our　thoughts　only　to　the　present；
whatever　it　may　be。　You　see　that　these　four　days　that　we　have　spent
here　in　the　Temple　have　been　good　schoolmasters　for　me；　and　have
made　me　patient；　andbut　what　is　that？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　〃did
you　not　hear　steps　before　the　door？　It　must　be　something　unusual；
for　it　is　not　yet　so　late　as　the　officials　are　accustomed　to　come。
Where　are　the　children？〃

And；　in　the　anxiety　of　her　motherly　love；　the　queen　hastened　up　the
little　staircase　which　led　to　the　second　story　of　the　Temple；　where
was　the　chamber　of　the　dauphin；　together　with　the　general　sitting…
room。

Louis　Charles　sprang　forward　to　meet　his　mother；　and　asked　her
whether　she　had　come　to　fulfil　her　promise；　and　go　out　with　him　into
the　garden。　The　queen；　instead　of　answering；　clasped　him　in　her
arms；　and　beckoned　to　Theresa　to　come　to　her　side。　〃Oh！　my　children；
my　dear　children；　I　only　wanted　to　see　you；　I〃

The　door　opened；　and　the　king；　followed　by　his　sister；　Princess
Lamballe；　and　Madame　Tourzel；　entered。

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette。　〃Some　new　misfortune；　is　it
not？〃

She　was　silent；　for　she　now　became　aware　of　the　presence　of　both　of
the　municipal　officials；　who　had　come　in　behind　the　ladies；　and　in
whose　presence　she　would　not　complain。　Manuel；　who；　since　the　10th
of　August；　had　been　attorney…generalManuel；　the　enemy　of　the
queen；　the　chief　supervisor　of　the　prisoners　in　the　Temple；　was
thereand　Marie　Antoinette　would　not　grant　him　the　triumph　of
seeing　her　weakness。

〃You　have　something　to　say　to　us；　sir；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　voice
which　she　compelled　to　be　calm。

Yes；　Manuel　had　something　to　say　to　her。　He　had　to　lay　before　her
and　the　king　a　decree　of　the　National　Assembly；　which　ordered　old
parties　who　had　accompanied　〃Louis　Capet　and　his　wife〃　to　the
Temple；　either　under　the　name　of　friends　or　servants；　to　leave　the
place　at　once。　The　queen　had　not　a　word　of　complaint；　but　her　pride
was　vanquished；　she　suffered　Manuel　to　see　her　tears。　She　extended
her　arms；　and　called　the　faithful　Lamballe　to　her；　mingled　her　tears
with　those　of　the　princess；　and　then　gave　a　parting　kiss　to　Madame
de　Tourzel　and　her　daughter。

The　evening　of　that　day　was　a　silent　and　solitary　one　in　the　rooms
of　the　Temple。　Their　last　servants　had　been　taken　away　from　the
royal　prisoners；　and　only　Clery；　the　valet　of　the　king；　had　been
suffered　to　remain；　to　wait　upon　his　master。　The　next　morning；
however；　Manuel　came　to　inform　the　queen　that　she　would　be　allowed
to　have　two　other　women　to　wait　upon　her；　and　gave　her　a　list　of
names　from　which　she　might　choose。　But　Marie　Antoinette；　with　proud
composure；　refused　to　accept　this　offer。　〃We　have　been　deprived　of
those　who　remained　faithful　to　us　out　of　love；　and　devoted　their
services　to　us　as　a　free　gift；　and　we　will　not　supply　their　places
by　servants　who　are　paid　by　our　enemies。〃

〃Then　you　will　have　to　wait　upon　yourselves；〃　cried　Manuel；　with　a
harsh　voice。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　queen；　gently；　〃we　will　wait　upon　ourselves；　and
take　pleasure　in　it。〃

And　they　did　wait　upon　themselves；　they　took　the　tenderest　care　one
of　another；　and　performed　all　these　offices　with　constant　readiness。
The　king　had；　happily；　been　allowed　to　retain　his　valet；　who　dressed
him；　who　knew　all　his　quiet；　moderate　ways；　and　who　arranged　every
thing　for　the　king　in　the　little　study　at　the　Temple；　as　he　had　been
accustomed　to　do　in　the　grand　cabinet　at　Versailles。　The　ladies
waited　upon　themselves；　and　Marie　Antoinette　undertook　the　task　of
dressing　and　undressing　the　dauphin。

The　little　fellow　was　the　sunbeam　which　now　and　then　would　light　up
even　the　sombre　apartments　of　the　Temple。　With　the　happy
carelessness　of　infancy；　he　had　forgotten　the　past；　and　did　not
think　of　the　future；　he　lived　only　in　the　present；　sought　to　be
happy；　and　found　his　happiness　when　he　succeeded　in　calling　a　smile
to　the　pale；　proud　lips　of　the　queen；　or　in　winning　a　word　of　praise
from　the　king　for　his　industry　and　his　attention。

And　thus　the　days　went　by　with　the　royal　family…monotonous；　sad；　and
dreary。　No　greeting　of　love；　no　ray　of　hope　came　in　from　the　outer
world；　to　lighten　up　the　thick　walls　of　the　old　building。　No　one
brought　the　prisoners　news　of　what　was　transpiring　without。　They
were　too　well　watched　for　any　of　their　friends　to　be　able　to
communicate　with　them。　This　was　the　greatest　trial　for　the　royal
captives。　Not　a　moment；　by　day　or　by　night；　when　the　eyes　of　the
sentries　were　not　directed　toward　them；　and　their　motions　observed！
The　doors　to　the　anterooms　were　constantly　open；　and　in　them　always
there　were　officials；　with　searching　looks　and　with　severe　faces；
watching　the　prisoners　in　the　inner　rooms。　Even　during　the　night
this　trial　did　not　cease；　and　the　Queen　of　France　had　to　undergo　the
indignity　of　having　the　door　of　her　sleeping…room　constantly　open；
while　the　officials；　who　spent　the　night　in　their　arm…chairs　in　the
anteroom；　drank；　played；　and　smoked；　always　keeping　an　eye　on　her
bed；　in　order　to　be　sure　of　her　presence。

Even　when　she　undressed　herself；　the　doors　of　the　queen's　apartment
were　not　closed；　a　mere　small　screen　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；
this　was　removed　as　soon　as　the　queen　had　disrobed　and　lain　down。

This　daily　renewed　pain　and　humiliationthis　being　watched　every
minutewas　the　heaviest　burden　that　the　prisoners　of　the　Temple　had
to　bear；　and　the　proud　heart　of　Marie　Antoinette　rose　in
exasperation　every　day　against　these　restraints。　She　endeavored　to
be　patient　and　to　choke　the　grief　that　rose　within　her；　and　yet　she
must　sometimes　give　expression　to　it　in　tears　and　threatening　words；
which　now　fell　like　cold　thunderbolts　from　the　lips　of　the　queen；
and　no　longer　kindled　any　thing；　no　longer　dashed　any　thing　in
pieces。

Thus　August　passed　and　September　began；　sad；　gloomy；　and　hopeless。
On　the　morning　of　the　3d　of　September；　Manuel　came　to　the　royal
prisoners；　to　tell　them　that　Paris　was　in　great　excitement；　and　that
they　were　not　to　go　into　the　garden　that　day　as　usual　about　noon；
but　were　to　remain　in　their　rooms。

〃How　is　it　with　my　friend；　Princess　Lamballe？〃　asked　Marie
Antoinette。

Manuel　was　perplexed；　he　even　blushed　and　cast　down　his　eyes；　as　he
answered　that　that　morning　the　princess　had　been　taken　to　the　prison
La　Force。　Then；　in　order　to　divert　conversation　from　this　channel；
Manuel　told　the　prisoners　about　the　tidings　which　had　recently
reached　Paris；　and　had　thrown　the　city　into　such　excitement　and
rage。

The　neighboring　powers　had　made　an　alliance　against　France。　The　King
of　Prussia　was　advancing　with　a　powerful　army；　and　had　already
confronted　the　French　force　before　Chalons；　while　the　Emperor　of
Germany　was　marching　against　Alsace